“He’s a guy that people can look up to, he’s a guy that people respect, he’s a guy that you expect to do the right thing, and he will do that as our reigning champion. And by the way, he would do it if he wasn’t our reigning champion.”

Of course, that’s exactly what some people hate about Johnson: Like Gordon, his image is a bit too perfect.

It’s a direct contradiction for those who love NASCAR for being a family-friendly sport, then choosing to dislike a good family man and role model.

But here’s the thing – Johnson’s appearance at the track doesn’t necessarily reflect his true self. He actually does have a personality.

“It is tough to have my real personality show up on camera, in articles and on the radio because when I go to work, I put on my work shoes and that is what I do,” Johnson said. “I have just as much fun as anyone when I am away from the track, but I have had this labeling put on me being too PC or too correct … because I take my job seriously when I am at the track.

“That is what I am focused on. That is what I do and I am going to say the right thing and do the right thing because that is my job.”

When Johnson wins – and he’s done so 23 times since he entered the Cup Series in 2002 – he doesn’t do a backflip or snow angels or somersaults.

Sometimes, he seems rather surprised or bewildered at what exactly just happened.

Reporters were puzzled at August’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, when Johnson had an amazing comeback to win one of the biggest races of the season but seemed a bit subdued in the post-race news conference.

Caught in the moment, Johnson can’t always wrap his arms around what just happened.

While winning Daytona, the Brickyard, the All-Star Challenge and Nextel Cup last year, Johnson put together one of the best seasons ever. And he often showed as much disbelief as joy along the way.

“I am just … I can’t believe I am standing there,” he said of his post-win reactions. “That is just the way that I respond to things.

“It is weird. You expect it to be all of these overwhelming feelings and emotions and this massive celebration, but I get to that point and I am like, `Holy crap, I am in Victory Lane and this is rad.”‘

So far, Johnson has made few missteps since becoming champion. Except for one little golf cart incident.

In December, Johnson was horsing around on the roof of a golf cart when he fell off and broke his right wrist. Fortunately for him, it was during the off-season.

“The timing could not have been better and bottom line, I was out screwing around having fun and it got the best of me,” he said.